heidi-第34部分

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On　some　of　the　very　finest　days；　however；　the　doctor　would　wander　out　again　with　Heidi；　and　then　the　two　would　sit　together　as　on　the　first　day；　and　the　child　would　repeat　her　hymns　and　tell　the　doctor　things　which　she　alone　knew。　Peter　sat　at　a　little　distance　from　them；　but　he　was　now　quite　reconciled　in　spirit　and　gave　vent　to　no　angry　pantomime。

September　had　drawn　to　its　close；　and　now　one　morning　the　doctor　appeared　looking　less　cheerful　than　usual。　It　was　his　last　day；　he　said；　as　he　must　return　to　Frankfurt；　but　he　was　grieved　at　having　to　say　good…bye　to　the　mountain；　which　he　had　begun　to　feel　quite　like　home。　Alm…Uncle；　on　his　side；　greatly　regretted　the　departure　of　his　guest；　and　Heidi　had　been　now　accustomed　for　so　long　to　see　her　good　friend　every　day　that　she　could　hardly　believe　the　time　had　suddenly　come　to　separate。　She　looked　up　at　him　in　doubt；　taken　by　surprise；　but　there　was　no　help；　he　must　go。　So　he　bid　farewell　to　the　old　man　and　asked　that　Heidi　might　go　with　him　part　of　the　return　way；　and　Heidi　took　his　hand　and　went　down　the　mountain　with　him；　still　unable　to　grasp　the　idea　that　he　was　going　for　good。　After　some　distance　the　doctor　stood　still；　and　passing　his　hand　over　the　child's　curly　head　said；　〃Now；　Heidi；　you　must　go　back；　and　I　must　say　good…bye！　If　only　I　could　take　you　with　me　to　Frankfurt　and　keep　you　there！〃

The　picture　of　Frankfurt　rose　before　the　child's　eyes；　its　rows　of　endless　houses；　its　hard　streets；　and　even　the　vision　of　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　and　Tinette；　and　she　answered　hesitatingly；　〃I　would　rather　that　you　came　back　to　us。〃

〃Yes；　you　are　right；　that　would　be　better。　But　now　good…bye；　Heidi。〃　The　child　put　her　hand　in　his　and　looked　up　at　him；　the　kind　eyes　looking　down　on　her　had　tears　in　them。　Then　the　doctor　tore　himself　away　and　quickly　continued　his　descent。

Heidi　remained　standing　without　moving。　The　friendly　eyes　with　the　tears　in　them　had　gone　to　her　heart。　All　at　once　she　burst　into　tears　and　started　running　as　fast　as　she　could　after　the　departing　figure；　calling　out　in　broken　tones：　〃Doctor！　doctor！〃

He　turned　round　and　waited　till　the　child　reached　him。　The　tears　were　streaming　down　her　face　and　she　sobbed　out：　〃I　will　come　to　Frankfurt　with　you；　now　at　once；　and　I　will　stay　with　you　as　long　as　you　like；　only　I　must　just　run　back　and　tell　grandfather。〃

The　doctor　laid　his　hand　on　her　and　tried　to　calm　her　excitement。　〃No；　no；　dear　child；〃　he　said　kindly；　〃not　now；　you　must　stay　for　the　present　under　the　fir　trees；　or　I　should　have　you　ill　again。　But　hear　now　what　I　have　to　ask　you。　If　I　am　ever　ill　and　alone；　will　you　come　then　and　stay　with　me？　May　I　know　that　there　would　then　be　some　one　to　look　after　me　and　care　for　me？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　will　come　the　very　day　you　send　for　me；　and　I　love　you　nearly　as　much　as　grandfather；〃　replied　Heidi；　who　had　not　yet　got　over　her　distress。

And　so　the　doctor　again　bid　her　good…bye　and　started　on　his　way；　while　Heidi　remained　looking　after　him　and　waving　her　hand　as　long　as　a　speck　of　him　could　be　seen。　As　the　doctor　turned　for　the　last　time　and　looked　back　at　the　waving　Heidi　and　the　sunny　mountain；　he　said　to　himself；　〃It　is　good　to　be　up　there；　good　for　body　and　soul；　and　a　man　might　learn　how　to　be　happy　once　more。〃




CHAPTER　XVIII。　WINTER　IN　DORFLI

The　snow　was　lying　so　high　around　the　hut　that　the　windows　looked　level　with　the　ground；　and　the　door　had　entirely　disappeared　from　view。　If　Alm…Uncle　had　been　up　there　he　would　have　had　to　do　what　Peter　did　daily；　for　fresh　snow　fell　every　night。　Peter　had　to　get　out　of　the　window　of　the　sitting…room　every　morning；　and　if　the　frost　had　not　been　very　hard　during　the　night；　he　immediately　sank　up　to　his　shoulders　almost　in　the　snow　and　had　to　struggle　with　hands；　feet；　and　head　to　extricate　himself。　Then　his　mother　handed　him　the　large　broom；　and　with　this　he　worked　hard　to　make　a　way　to　the　door。　He　had　to　be　careful　to　dig　the　snow　well　away；　or　else　as　soon　as　the　door　was　opened　the　whole　soft　mass　would　fall　inside；　or；　if　the　frost　was　severe　enough；　it　would　have　made　such　a　wall　of　ice　in　front　of　the　house　that　no　one　could　have　gone　in　or　out；　for　the　window　was　only　big　enough　for　Peter　to　creep　through。　The　fresh　snow　froze　like　this　in　the　night　sometimes；　and　this　was　an　enjoyable　time　for　Peter；　for　he　would　get　through　the　window　on　to　the　hard；　smooth；　frozen　ground；　and　his　mother　would　hand　him　out　the　little　sleigh；　and　he　could　then　make　his　descent　to　Dorfli　along　any　route　he　chose；　for　the　whole　mountain　was　nothing　but　one　wide；　unbroken　sleigh　road。

Alm…Uncle　had　kept　his　word　and　was　not　spending　the　winter　in　his　old　home。　As　soon　as　the　first　snow　began　to　fall；　he　had　shut　up　the　hut　and　the　outside　buildings　and　gone　down　to　Dorfli　with　Heidi　and　the　goats。　Near　the　church　was　a　straggling　half…ruined　building；　which　had　once　been　the　house　of　a　person　of　consequence。　A　distinguished　soldier　had　lived　there　at　one　time；　he　had　taken　service　in　Spain　and　had　there　performed　many　brave　deeds　and　gathered　much　treasure。　When　he　returned　home　to　Dorfli　he　spent　part　of　his　booty　in　building　a　fine　house；　with　the　intention　of　living　in　it。　But　he　had　been　too　long　accustomed　to　the　noise　and　bustle　of　arms　and　the　world　to　care　for　a　quiet　country　life；　and　he　soon　went　off　again；　and　this　time　did　not　return。　When　after　many　long　years　it　seemed　certain　that　he　was　dead；　a　distant　relative　took　possession　of　the　house；　but　it　had　already　fallen　into　disrepair；　and　he　had　no　wish　to　rebuild　it。　So　it　was　let　to　poor　people；　who　paid　but　a　small　rent；　and　when　any　part　of　the　building　fell　it　was　allowed　to　remain。　This　had　now　gone　on　for　many　years。　As　long　ago　as　when　his　son　Tobias　was　a　child　Alm…Uncle　had　rented　the　tumble…　down　old　place。　Since　then　it　had　stood　empty；　for　no　one　could　stay　in　it　who　had　not　some　idea　of　how　to　stop　up　the　holes　and　gaps　and　make　it　habitable。　Otherwise　the　wind　and　rain　and　snow　blew　into　the　rooms；　so　that　it　was　impossible　even　to　keep　a　candle　alight；　and　the　indwellers　would　have　been　frozen　to　death　during　the　long　cold　winters。　Alm…Uncle；　however；　knew　how　to　mend　matters。　As　soon　as　he　made　up　his　mind　to　spend　the　winter　in　Dorfli；　he　rented　the　old　place　and　worked　during　the　autumn　to　get　it　sound　and　tight。　In　the　middle　of　October　he　and　Heidi　took　up　their　residence　there。

On　approaching　the　house　from　the　back　one　came　first　into　an　open　space　with　a　wall　on　either　side；　of　which　one　was　half　in　ruins。　Above　this　rose　the　arch　of　an　old　window　thickly　overgrown　with　ivy；　which　spread　over　the　remains　of　a　domed　roof　that　had　evidently　been　part　of　a　chapel。　A　large　hall　came　next；　which　lay　open；　without　doors；　to　the　square　outside。　Here　also　walls　and　roof　only　partially　remained；　and　indeed　what　was　left　of　the　roof　looked　as　if　it　might　fall　at　any　minute　had　it　not　been　for　two　stout　pillars　that　supported　it。　Alm…Uncle　had　here　put　up　a　wooden　partition　and　covered　the　floor　with　straw；　for　this　was　to　be　the　goats'　house。　Endless　passages　led　from　this；　through　the　rents　of　which　the　sky　as　well　as　the　fields　and　the　road　outside　could　be　seen　at　intervals；　but　at　last　one　came　to　a　stout　oak　door　that　led　into　a　room　that　still　stood　intact。　Here　the　walls　and　the　dark　wainscoting　remained　as　good　as　ever；　and　in　the　corner　was　an　immense　stove　reaching　nearly　to　the　ceiling；　on　the　white　tiles　of　which　were　painted　large　pictures　in　blue。　These　represented　old　castles　surrounded　with　trees；　and　huntsmen　riding　out　with　their　hounds；　or　else　a　quiet　lake　scene；　with　broad　oak　trees　and　a　man　fishing。　A　seat　ran　all　round　the　stove　so　that　one　could　sit　at　one's　ease　and　study　the　pictures。　These　attracted　Heidi's　attention　at　once；　and　she　had　no　sooner　arrived　with　her　grandfather　than　she　ran　and　seated　herself　and　began　to　examine　them。　But　when　she　had　gradually　worked　herself　round　to　the　back；　something　else　diverted　her　attention。　In　the　large　space　between　the　stove　and　the　wall　four　planks　had　been　put　together　as　if　to　make　a　large　receptacle　for　apples；　there　were　no　apples；　however；　inside；　but　something　Heidi　had　no　difficulty　in　recognising；　for　it　was　her　very　own　bed；　with　its　hay　mattress　and　sheets；　and　sack　for　a　coverlid；　just　as　she　had　it　up　at　the　hut。　Heidi　clapped　her　hands　for　joy　and　exclaimed；　〃O　grandfather；　this　is　my　room；　how　nice！　But　where　are　you　going　to　sleep？〃

〃Your　room　must　be　near　the　stove　or　you　will　freeze；〃　he　replied；　〃but　you　can　come　and　see　mine　too。〃

Heidi　got　down　and　skipped　across　the　large　room　after　her　grandfather；　who　opened　a　door　at　the　farther　end　leading　into　a　smaller　one　which　was　to　be　his　bedroom。　Then　came　another　door。　Heidi　pushed　it　open　and　stood　amazed；　for　here　was　an　immense　room　like　a　kitchen；　larger　than　anything　of　the　kind　that　Heidi　had　seen　before。　There　was　still　plenty　of　work　for　the　grandfather　before　this　room　could　be　finished；　for　there　were　holes　and　cracks　in　the　walls　through　which　the　wind　whistled；　and　yet　he　had　already　nailed　up　so　many　new　planks　that　it　looked　as　if　a　lot　of　small　cupboards　had　been　set　up　round　the　room。　He　had；　however；　made　the　large　old　door　safe　with　many　screws　and　nails；　as　a　protection　against　the　outside　air；　and　this　was　very　necessary；　for　just　beyond　was　a　mass　of　ruined　buildings　overgrown　with　tall　weeds；　which　made　a　dwelling…place　for　endless　beetles　and　lizards。

Heidi　was　very　delighted　with　her　new　home；　and　by　the　morning　after　their　arrival　she　knew　every　nook　and　corner　so　thoroughly　that　she　could　take　Peter　over　it　and　show　him　all　that　was　to　be　seen；　indeed　she　would　not　let　him　go　till　he　had　examined　every　single　wonderful　thing　contained　in　it。

Heidi　slept　soundly　in　her　corner　by　the　stove；　but　every　morning　when　she　first　awoke　she　still　thought　she　was　on　the　mountain；　and　that　she　must　run　outside　at　once　to　see　if　the　fir　trees　were　so　quiet　because　their　branches　were　weighed　down　with　the　thick　snow。　She　had　to　look　about　her　for　some　minutes　before　she　felt　quite　sure　where　she　was；　and　a　certain　sensation　of　trouble　and　oppression　would　come　over　her　as　she　grew　aware　that　she　was　not　at　home　in　the　hut。　But　t